BCTF AGM 2026
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
Full-Time Table Officers (three to be elected) For President (one to be elected)
Carole Gordon 3 For First Vice-President (one to be elected) Robin Tosczak 4 For Second Vice-President (one to be elected) Winona Waldron 5
Members-at-Large
Designated Aboriginal (one to be elected) Brenda Celesta ............................................................................... 6
Designated Member of Colour (one to be elected)
Jatinder Kaur Bir 7
Designated 2SLGBTQ+ (one to be elected) Frano Marsic 8 Trevana Spilchen ........................................................................... 9
Non-designated (three to be elected) Alexandra Adhikary ...................................................................10 Jelana Bighorn 11 Marla Gamble ...............................................................................12 Shawn Holland.............................................................................13
FOR PRESIDENT
Carole Gordon (she/her)
Central Okanagan for President
EXPERIENCE
Provincial: President, First VP, Second VP 3yrs, Executive 10yrs, Pensions, CTF Trustee, AGM 22yrs
Local: Executive (Second VP, H&S, Bargaining), Staff Rep
Community: Labour Council President, United Way
Teaching: Prep, classroom, TTOC (since 1991)
LEADERSHIP, VALUES, COMMITMENT
It has been a privilege to serve as President of the BCTF this past year, representing members provincially, nationally, and internationally. I have worked to raise the profile, value, and needs of the profession and public education, bringing teachers’ voices to the forefront.
Bargaining has been a priority, and I’m proud of the solidarity shown by members in support of our Provincial Bargaining Team and alongside other public sector unions. That collective strength is essential to advancing fair working and learning conditions. Beyond bargaining, engagement with government on key issues—professional learning, certification, recruitment and retention, meaningful consultation—ensures members are central to policies impacting classrooms and schools. Defending professional autonomy and expertise, and pushing for more employer responsibility, remains critical as global unrest and the rise of far-right attacks affect our communities.
Public education is fundamental to building a society where everyone can thrive. Upcoming school board elections will be integral as we combat regressive policies and underfunding that erode supports upon which all educators, students, and families rely. The Federation can help locals with training and support for candidates who step up and show up for everyone. Additionally, on the provincial level, a co-ordinated effort to eliminate elite school funding can bring the change we need to better fund public schools across BC.
It’s been a difficult and exhausting year to date, on so many fronts, for all of us in BC K–12 schools. I hope I have lived up to members’ expectations, leading with a teacher voice that values strong, inclusive, and well-supported classrooms, and fighting for all who learn and work within them. It would be an honour to continue to be the president of your union.
facebook.com/carole.gordon.921
FOR FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT
Robin Tosczak (she/her)
Greater Victoria for First Vice-President
EXPERIENCE
Provincial: First Vice-President, Member-at-Large, Provincial Bargaining Team; Teacher Magazine and TTOC advisory committees, workshop facilitator
Local: Executive (First VP, Grievance Officer, H&S, LR, Treasurer), Labour Council, Contract and Bargaining committees
Teaching: Elementary, ELL, inclusive education
EFFECTIVE AND RESPONSIVE LEADERSHIP
Representing teachers as your First VP, I get to connect with members and local leadership from around BC. I’m inspired by the work you do every day supporting your colleagues and your students and advocating for public education. Hearing from you helps me be an effective advocate and negotiator, in meetings with government, with BCPSEA, and at the bargaining table.
Our focus this year has been on provincial bargaining. The bargaining table is a key opportunity for making teaching in BC more attractive and sustainable, and it’s a privilege to talk with teachers, to strategize together, and to represent you at the table. As a VP and lead negotiator on the Provincial Bargaining Team, I bring a capacity to synthesize and communicate complex concepts, a drive to identify new strategies and opportunities, and a willingness to hold power to account.
As VP, I’ve built on the skills, knowledge, and experience I gained in a range of local positions, including First VP, full-time Grievance Officer, Health and Safety Officer, Secretary-Treasurer, and Labour Council representative. On topics ranging from violence prevention to financial planning, and from labour relations to political strategy, I understand the diverse responsibilities of local offices, the importance of direct support for members, and the value of solidarity.
Together, our collective strength, professionalism, and solidarity are key to our successes. These are also the values that frame our commitment to reconciliation, anti-oppression, and to combating discrimination and hate rearing up in communities and schools.
We need strong unions to continue organizing, mobilizing, and fighting back against economic austerity and right-wing ideologies. Thank you for all you do in your schools, communities, and locals. It’s an honour to serve alongside you in support of a robust and inclusive public education system.
FOR SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT
Winona Waldron (she/her)
Greater Victoria for Second Vice-President
EXPERIENCE
Second Vice-President and Co-Lead Negotiator provincially, with local experience as President, VicePresident, Lead Negotiator, Grievance Officer, Staff Rep, and Labour Council Executive; active nationally, including CTF bargaining panelist, Women’s Symposium presenter, and AGM delegate.
SOLIDARITY IN ACTION: GROUNDED LEADERSHIP FOR THE FEDERATION
Like many members, I came to union work not because it was easy, but because it was necessary. When public school teachers and associated professionals stand together, we are powerful. When we stand alone, the system counts on our silence. Our Federation is strongest when solidarity is not just a slogan, but a daily practice.
Over the past year, I have witnessed the strength of our members at the bargaining table, in locals, at rallies, and in quiet conversations with teachers who are exhausted yet still hopeful. I have seen leadership rise from classrooms into collective action. During provincial bargaining, I saw first-hand how member engagement strengthened our position at the table. When teachers spoke clearly about workload, complexity, and sustainability, it shaped our strategy and sharpened our resolve. Those experiences continue to shape my approach to leadership: collaborative, honest, and grounded in the realities members are living every day.
As Second Vice-President of the BC Teachers’ Federation, I have worked to centre member voices, strengthen connections between locals and provincial leadership, and support a union that is democratic, strategic, and prepared to act. Teachers deserve leadership that tells the truth, refuses to lower expectations, and fights collectively for sustainable working conditions and a strong public education system.
Solidarity also means how we treat one another within our union: with respect, transparency, and a commitment to democratic debate. I am committed to building connections across locals and roles, supporting the next generation of union leaders, and ensuring our Federation reflects the diversity and strength of our membership. Our power has always come from one another. When we organize with clarity and courage, there is no challenge we cannot meet—together.
facebook.com/winona.waldron instagram.com/winonawaldron bsky.app/profile/winonawaldron.bsky.social
Brenda Celesta (she/her) Kamloops Thompson for Aboriginal Member-at-Large
BIOGRAPHY
Weytk-p, I am from the Secwépemc Territory, raised at Simpcw First Nation, a part of Secwepemcúl’ecw.
I am a mother, teacher, and Knowledge Keeper. I currently teach in Kamloops Thompson and am on the BCTF Executive Committee as Member-at-Large in the designated Aboriginal seat. I was a classroom teacher, teaching secondary math and social studies. Currently, I am a K–12 district teacher implementing Aboriginal content and collaborating on culture, language, and local plant knowledge.
UNION
I am looking for your vote as I am running for Member-at-Large in the designated Aboriginal seat. I have several years of union experience on my local executive committee and the BCTF Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee. Through these roles I have gained important knowledge as it relates to teachers, the importance of issues, and complexity of our teaching and working environment. I am committed to upholding our democratic processes, advocating for equity-deserving members, and ensuring that voices are represented from across the province, in all areas of our membership.
EXPERIENCE
I have served in my local as Aboriginal Education Chair, advocating for a teacher voice in the district on the Indigenous Advisory Council, to ensure a commitment toward Secwépemc language teachers and language resources, and I advocate for Indigenous teacher representation in all areas. I currently hold the Public Relations and Political Action Chair.
EDUCATIONAL VALUES
I believe teaching is a complex profession and that the union must work to create space for members to talk about classroom challenges and successes, the current workload, and managing changes within public education. It’s our responsibility to ensure the best learning environment possible for students while ensuring that the needs and supports for teachers are met. The union allows for a collective voice that protects its members while advocating for members’ rights. I am dedicated to giving back within the profession and working to ensure a strong voice at the table. Please vote for me and I will work to protect teachers’ collective voice.
Jatinder Kaur Bir (she/her/elle)
Surrey for Member of Colour Member-at-Large
EXPERIENCE
Provincial: BC Teachers’ Council, PBC Board and Committee Chair, AGM/RA/CTF Chairperson, BCTF
AGM Resolutions/Agenda Cmte and delegate, WIN, Finance Cmte, SURT facilitator/developer
Local: Surrey Teachers’ LP/VP, Mediation, Local
Bargaining Lead, Local Rep, Labour Council
I AM STEPPING FORWARD for Executive Committee to serve our union and members. Our membership is growing in diversity and complexity, and it’s essential that our leadership reflects and fights to ensure representation across the province. Our strength is in our unity, but our power is in our diversity.
My leadership within local, provincial, and national organizing in varied and diverse leadership roles is collaborative, courageous, authentic, and committed. It demonstrates respect for process, accountability, and honest representation, and the support and confidence of my colleagues. I understand well the complexities of leadership and of being responsible to a diverse membership within a democratic structure—both individual and systemic approaches are essential. I have acquired valuable institutional knowledge and remain committed to ongoing personal and professional learning.
For me, union work is rooted in seva (selfless service) reflected in my upbringing and character. This has helped position me as a natural leader, ready to embrace any role. The primary focus of seva is equality and unity. It means offering selfless and voluntary service for the benefit of others without personal gain. By serving others, I strive for humility and to affirm that diversity and unity are two sides of the same coin, both essential in our work.
I am grounded, organized, and experienced in ensuring that our advocacy aligns with the objectives and values of our communities. I understand the importance of addressing both our collective professional needs and the broader political climate in which we work. My leadership is rooted in inclusivity and collaboration, striving to create safe environments where every voice is heard and valued.
Looking ahead, I remain committed to lifelong learning and leveraging my leadership skills on behalf of members. I am committed to strengthening both the unity and diversity of the BCTF.
Weebly: jatinderbir.weebly.com
Facebook: facebook.com/jatinder.bir.773
Instagram: instagram.com/jkbir/?hl=en
Frano Marsic (he/him) Richmond for 2SLGBTQ+ Member-at-Large
EXPERIENCE
Provincial: EC Member-at-Large, Local Representative, AGM delegate, BCFED delegate, Summer Conference
Local: Vice-President, Lead Negotiator, Bargaining Chair, Executive, Staff Representative, District SOGI Committee, Social Justice Committee, District H&S Committee
Teaching: 20+ years, secondary
AS A MEMBER-AT-LARGE of the provincial Executive and as a Vice-President for my local, I have stood with teachers through challenging moments, defended our collective rights, and acted decisively when those rights were at risk. I believe in a leadership that listens, a union that acts, and a profession that is respected. We are strongest when we debate with purpose, listen with care, and remain united by our shared commitment to public education. An equitable, safe, and welcoming Federation must always be our priority.
Strong advocacy is needed to address our working conditions. Rising incidents of workplace violence, increasingly complex student needs, expanding administrative and documentation demands, and persistent teacher shortages continue to erode the sustainability of our profession. Educators are being asked to do more with fewer supports, often absorbing systemic gaps through unpaid labour, extended hours, and emotional strain. The resilience of our members to sustain themselves under these conditions cannot be the solution to an underfunded system.
A resilient Federation also depends on strong, autonomous locals. I bring experience in grievances, contract enforcement, advocacy, finance, and I have negotiated letters of agreement that support staffing, compliance, remedy, and professional development. For years, I have actively supported SOGI policy implementation within my district and planned and organized networking events for queer educators and students. I am equally committed to advancing anti-racism and anti-oppression within our union and our schools, recognizing that equity work must be embedded in bargaining priorities, leadership development, and member support. Building inclusive structures requires intentional policy, courageous advocacy, and sustained collaboration with Indigenous, racialized, and marginalized members.
I would be honoured to earn your trust and to continue this work together with courage, care, and purpose. Thank you for your consideration.
Trevana Spilchen (they/them)
Delta for 2SLGBTQ+
EXPERIENCE
Local: Executive, Local Rep, SJ Chair, AGM Delegate, BCFED Delegate
Provincial: Provincial Executive, Aboriginal Liaison, French Liaison, CASJ Chair, workshop facilitator, poetry performer, Women’s Institute, Bargaining Conference
Teaching: SOGI Co-ordinator, SJ 12, music, English, English First Peoples
HI, I’M TREVANA SPILCHEN, my pronouns are they/them. I’m a parent of four kids that range in age from 7–26 years old. Raising kids is hard work and is the centre of who I am. Being a part of the BCTF Executive Committee is also hard work but is work I deeply love and hope you will trust me to continue doing. I believe in this union wholeheartedly, and I believe we can become even stronger if we build from the centre of who we are—a social justice union.
For me this means we must make space for everyone to feel welcome. We have sometimes failed to do this, but we must continue to strive to do better. The strength of our union is measured in how the most marginalized among us feel in our union spaces. I have worked tirelessly toward this goal for more than a decade in our union, and I will continue to do this always.
As an LR, facilitator, and CASJ Chair, I have spoken out and done the work provincially of creating equity for members. As a SOGI co-ordinator for a decade in Delta, I created policy documents, guidelines for supporting trans students, and resources for classroom teachers. As a part of the Executive Committee for the past two years, I have been willing to speak truth unapologetically, clearly, and from a place of lived experience. I am proud of my work at the table bringing motions forward and pushing the table forward in a good way.
I have an unequivocal belief in the power of our membership if we choose to be brave, stand together, and raise each other and our communities up. I would love your trust in me to continue this work on behalf of all our members.
Alexandra Adhikary (she/her)
Peace River North for Member-at-Large
EXPERIENCE
Provincial: Bargaining Team, BCECTA President, WIN, International Solidarity
Local: Social Justice Rep, LR, Bargaining Team, Early Career Teachers’ LSA President, Staff Rep
National/International: CTF AGM, Trinational Conference
Teaching: 11 years, secondary languages
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE STAND in solidarity, we are strong! Since the beginning of my career, I have stood alongside colleagues fighting and advocating for public education, locally, provincially, nationally, and internationally.
I started going to BCTF meetings as a kid, alongside my mom, who was also a teacher and union activist. I could feel the passion in those spaces but often found that new teacher voices were missing. When I started teaching, I became involved in bringing early career teachers’ voices into the conversation locally and provincially. I was the president of both an early career teachers’ local specialist association and the BC Early Career Teachers’ Provincial Specialist Association.
Additionally, through governance meetings and committee participation, I have developed an understanding of the structure of our union and diversity of our members. I am proud that we are a union that fights for equity. The work of reconciliation, anti-racism, and anti-oppression is a focus of my union activism.
Being on the Provincial Bargaining Team, I have strengthened my collective agreement knowledge and expanded my understanding of the issues facing teachers, not only in northern and rural areas, where I work, but also in locals across the province. I know this extensive knowledge of the collective agreement and my dedication to supporting members will help me advocate and participate at the Executive Committee table.
In a time of continued underfunding and overwhelming workload, it is crucial that the Executive Committee continues to advocate for members to ensure our schools and classrooms are fully resourced and supported. I have continued to learn from and listen to members, built strong connections across the province, and advocated for members and public education. I am confident that I can represent teachers and bring forward voices from across the province.
Jelana Bighorn (she/her) Vancouver Secondary for Member-at-Large
EXPERIENCE
• B.Ed. (UBC) 2006
• M.A. in Educational Studies (UBC) 2026
• BCTF Executive Committee MAL (2022–present)
• BC Teachers’ Council elected representative (2024–2027)
• BCTF Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee member
• Vancouver Secondary Teachers’ Association Executive Committee, Indigenous Chair
GREETINGS, RELATIVES. I am Jelana Bighorn— daughter of Jacob and Deloria Bighorn. I am an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Sioux Tribes in Montana. For most of my life I have been an uninvited guest living on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and TsleilWaututh nations. I have also lived in the Nass Valley in Nisga’a territory and on Vancouver Island in Cowichan territory. For almost the past 20 years, I have been a social studies classroom teacher in East Vancouver serving the community that I live in.
I believe that teaching is a noble, sacred institution. Teachers understand that our work is defined by relationships—to our union, one another, and our students. Our members are good people who are struggling to be the teachers they want to be in their classrooms, and they need real support if they are to continue in this admirable profession.
In the past three years as a Member-at-Large of the BCTF Executive Committee, I have learned a great deal about the scope of the Federation. I have worked tirelessly to strengthen decolonization initiatives within the BCTF Executive that I also implement in my classroom and throughout school structures. I am grounded in the daily experience of teachers, having experience both on the Island and in the North, and now in Vancouver. The knowledge and experiences of my colleagues informs my advocacy, activism, strong values, and principles.
In my work on your behalf, I have committed to strengthening our profession, union, and members; improving the lived experiences of teachers and addressing front-line challenges; and building a sustainable, accessible, diverse union for the future. I continue to commit to transparency, open and accountable leadership, and member-driven, valuesbased decision-making.
I ask for your continued support and trust.
Instagram: jelanabighorn
Facebook: Jelana Bighorn for BCTF EC Website: jelanabighorn.ca
Marla Gamble (she/her)
Prince Rupert for Member-at-Large
EXPERIENCE
PRDTU: Local Representative, Local Ab Ed Rep, Local Bargaining Committee member, Social Justice Chair, Pro-D Co-Chair, TTOC Rep
Community: North Coast and Haida Gwaii Labour Council delegate
Teaching: Elementary K–7 since 1999
Education: SFU Language and Culture
Teacher Education Program
I HAVE HAD THE HONOUR and privilege of living, learning, and teaching on the unceded territory of the Ts’msyen people for most of my life. My mother is Haida, and my father is Ts’msyen, and I grew up in Prince Rupert. I am Haida through my matriarchal lineage.
I have been teaching for 25 years, and from early on I have been involved in the union. This has shaped my perspective as an advocate. I stand up for myself, my colleagues, students, and the profession.
I am currently the Local Representative and the Political Action Contact for the Prince Rupert District Teachers’ Union. This has provided me with the knowledge and skills to represent and advocate for local members, to understand the issues we collectively face in the classroom, and to recognize the value of our shared experience in creating a support network of solidarity—celebrating our unique differences to build an inclusive union.
I welcome the opportunity to stand for teachers on the issues we face collectively, drawing on my lived experience teaching in a smaller community in the North and supporting students and families.
As a member in a leadership role, I have a responsibility to support and uplift colleagues by listening and ensuring their voices are represented. It is important to foster solidarity in a positive manner that builds awareness and engagement in the BCTF.
Facebook: Marla Gamble for BCTF Member-at-Large
Shawn Holland (he/him)
Comox for Member-at-Large
EXPERIENCE
National: CTF AGM delegate, CTF Bargaining Conference
Provincial: WLC/BAC (4 yrs), BCTF AGM (20ish), Summer Conferences, FLIs
Local: President, VP, Local Representative (17 yrs), Staff Rep, Bargaining Team (five times)
EARLY IN MY CAREER my staff rep had a poster reading, “If not me, then who? If not now, then when?” This statement has influenced me and my union work. It is not only a call for participation and action, which I have embraced in my 24 years of union activism, but also applies to my current candidacy for Member-at-Large.
“If not me, then who?” connects to what I can bring to the BCTF EC. I have a long history of advocacy that I think is valuable at the table. I have held many roles within the union, giving me expertise that others may not have. Through all these roles my focus has been on representing and supporting teachers. I speak out for what I believe in and, more importantly, I try and be a voice for those who I represent. On the EC, I see this as being our 50,000 members.
“If not now, then when?” is asking the question— why now? When I take on a job, I want to do it well, which means identifying capacity. Early in my career it was trying to be the best teacher I could be. Later, this shifted to include being the best husband, then father I could be while increasing my union participation. Next was waiting until my son graduated, because I knew I could not be the local president I wanted to be while being the father I wanted to be. I have now spent almost two years as local president, and I feel I can take on another challenge.
While content to continue focusing on being a local president, I feel I can give more and would be honoured to do it as a Member-at-Large. “If not me, then who? If not now, then when?”
Chris Perrier-Evely (he/they) Nanaimo for Member-at-Large EXPERIENCE
BCTF: 2SLGBTQ+ Designated Member-at-Large
NDTA: Full-Release Professional Issues Officer
Teaching: 13 years: Prince George, Nanaimo; elementary classroom, resource
Education: B.Ed.; Special Education Diploma; M.Ed., Leadership (VIU)
MY NAME IS CHRIS PERRIER-EVELY (he/ they), and I’m seeking re-election to the BCTF Executive Committee as a Member-at-Large. I’m a Kindergarten teacher first—which means I believe in belonging, clear expectations, and calling things what they are. I bring that same energy to union work: listening deeply, asking honest questions, and keeping members’ real experiences at the centre.
Over the past two years on the Executive Committee, I’ve worked to make sure our values show up in our decisions. When we were shaping objectives around the provincial election, I helped ensure we explicitly named the impact on trans, gender non-conforming, and 2SLGBTQIA+ members—because safety and dignity aren’t optional, and they certainly aren’t abstract. If we don’t name who is most affected, we risk leaving them behind. That kind of working lens is important. It changes what we prioritize and how we lead.
I’ve also worked alongside my EC colleagues to strengthen the structures that support members across the province. From supporting grants that help locals engage their members, to improving clarity in how our governance operates, I’ve been part of the steady, collaborative work that makes our Federation more accessible and more transparent. It’s not glamorous work—but it builds trust.
At the same time, I’ve supported efforts that defend strong public education in a shifting political climate, including highlighting the impact of teacher shortages and backing solidarity initiatives that connect us to educators beyond our borders. Public education deserves fierce, thoughtful advocacy.
I’m proud of how I’ve shown up: principled, relational, and a little bit sassy when needed. And I’m ready to keep showing up—for belonging, for public education, and for our members.
Website: perrierevely.ca Instagram: @mx.perrier
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